Úkwú Joshua Mba

Úkwú Joshua Mba is a Nigerian Jazz pianist, composer, performer and educator.

He has performed as a solo pianist as well as in seasoned jazz bands. He has performed on several jazz platforms across states in Nigeria, including the Lagos International Jazz Festival (2016), where he performed with the veteran jazz saxophonist, Herbert Kunle Ajayi. Joshua’s composition and arrangements are acclaimed to have so much feel of the African culture. After graduating from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria as a Classicist with double honours, He proceeded to study jazz piano, at Peter King College of Music, Badagry, Lagos. Coming out the best student of his set, he was retained to instruct as the college. Joshua holds a certificate of performance from Peter King College of Music, Lagos (2017), and various grades of certification in music theory and piano practical from the Associated Board of Royal School of Music (ABRSM), London.

Now a former instructor at Peter King College of Music, he is currently the Director, Virtual Institute of Music - an online school of music, centred on Jazz, Pop and African music.

His compositions and rearrangements include: Nzoputa (Joshua Mba), Olorun Agbaye (Joshua Mba and Abata Samuel), Oluwa ku ise (Yoruba folk song; Dapo Dina’s arrangement was adopted), In Christ alone (Stuart Townend and Keith Getty), My Favourite Things (Richard Rodgers), and Watermelon Man (Herbie Hancock), Ojuelegba Afro-Cuban arrangement (Wizkid).